The wily red fox is a true survivor

Here he is. The sly red fox. I photographed this one in his element on a dreary evening during a light rain. This makes for a soft-focus image true to the nature of the fox. They generally prefer being out at night and during inclement weather but will not hesitate to forage in broad daylight if they are hungry.

The red fox is an opportunistic eater. Needing about a pound of food each day, it will eat a multitude of things, from watermelon, blackberries, apples, sunflower seeds and corn, to bird eggs, insects, fish and all kinds of meat. This helps make the red fox a true survivor.

A series of holes with connecting underground tunnels dug relatively close together in the woods is called a den site. The red fox does not spray like a skunk, even though it does have a similar odor.

Red foxes and coyotes do not tolerate each other well. Because coyotes are larger and more aggressive, red foxes will either move out of a coyote's territory on their own or will be chased out.

Most, but not all, red foxes have black legs and a distinctive white tip on the tail.

The red fox sounds much like a small dog. Its soft bark is a rare treat to identify while out in the woods.

The male red fox will bring food to his mate in spring while she is birthing and nursing her litter of pups. A litter usually counts between four and 10 pups, which are born blind. Their eyes open in about two weeks.

Through the Woods is a weekly nature photo column by Aaron Horrell. Find this column at semissourian.com to order a reprint of the photo.